Carnival Came to Town
by Animangod
Summary: Part one: Preschool aged Youou Kurogane helps get Yuui Fluorite a stuffed animal at the Carnival. Part two: Years later...
1. Chapter 1

Authour's notes: Part One of Two.

Yuui stared at the stack of bottles, focused on their form, before throwing the ball at them with his chubby little arm. The ball hit the bottles, but only one of them fell down, not enough to win. That was his last ball. Climbing out of the chair, he searched his pockets over and over only to find out he couldn't find any more money. He began to search his pockets repeatedly for his little coin pouch but he couldn't find it, and looked around for it but it wasn't anywhere in sight.

Youou was walking with his parents when he noticed a foreign boy crying in front of a game booth. Tugging lightly on his mom's hand, he pointed at the blond boy, right around his own age. "I want to go cheer him up."

"Alright - your father and I will just head on over to the snack booth, so he can get his sugar fix."

Youou nodded, "I'll come look for you there."

Toriho ruffled with his son's hair. "Go on, you lil monkey."

"Father!" Youou protested, fixing his hair before heading on over to where the blond boy was crying.

Youou stood in front of the other kid, and asked, "Which toy did you want?"

Yuui rubbed the tears out of his eyes, as he realized another kid was talking to him.

"Kitty kitty," Yuui said pointing at it, "but I lost my money pouch."

Youou lightly pet his head. "Okay, don't cry anymore. I'll help you get that toy."

Yuui sniffled a couple more times before the tears dried up and he looked at the other kid hopefully. "Really?"

"Ah," Youou said with a nod, before climbing into the chair next to the booth to talk to the person behind the booth. "What do I need to do to get him that Nekomi kitty toy?"

"If you can knock down all three bottles three times in a game, you can get the large one. Two stacks and you earn a medium prize, and a single stack, you get a small prize. You get five chances to knock down all the bottles."

Youou dug out how much the game cost and handed it to the booth operator, who handed him a single ball, in return. Youou aimed at his target, analysing where would be a good place to hit the bottles. He glared determinedly as he threw the ball at the stack of three as hard as he could to get them to fall over. Instead of getting all three, the bottom two flew out and the one on the top fell down in placement, but not over.

Youou looked at it like he'd been cheated his free toy in his kid's meal, before looking at the other boy, "Did you see that? That pin is a cheat."

Yuui only made a nod, not really sure what the boy said, but figured a nod was a good response.

The operator handed Youou the ball back and he threw it at the head of the pin, knocking it down this time. With that, the operator handed Youou a ball once more, as he worked to stack up the three pins once again for the kid before stepping back so he wasn't hit with the ball.

Youou tossed the third ball at the stack, and missed, skimming just the edge of one of the pins. Youou scowled at the pins, as if that would scare them into falling down of their own accord. Getting his fourth ball, he threw it at them mentally telling them they better all fall down. Whether intimidation had any play in the matter, the ball hit them and knocked all three pins down.

Yuui's eyes brightened up seeing Youou hit the whole stack down, and Youou smirked, cheering a little. Yuui made a tiny hyuu noise and stepped up closer to Youou as the operator restacked the pins for him and handed Youou the fifth and final ball for a game. So far, he qualified for a medium toy, but he really wanted to get the big one for the other.

Focusing really hard to do the same thing as before and knock all three down, and with Yuui cheering him on, Youou threw the ball hard, hard enough he lost his balance on his seat and fell off, right into Yuui, who went down with him, surprised by it all.

Youou blinked a bit dazed, before he realized he was on the other kid, and momentarily forgetting the game, he looked to see if the foreigner got hurt. Besides a couple of scrapes, he seemed fine. Getting up, he held a hand out for the boy to take, who used it to get up. Since Youou's back was to the game, Yuui saw first and began to shake his hand happily, a giddy looking grin on his face. "Three!" he said happily. "Three threes!"

Youou looked behind him. Sure enough all three pins were down. He grinned proudly. "See? I told you I'd help you get the toy." What neither boy saw was the ball bounced off of the back wall and hit only one bottom pin. The top pin fell after that, and the combination of everything made the final pin tilt dangerously close to falling. It may have had a smidgen of help from the booth operator.

"I'd like to get that Nekomi doll for him please," Youou said, pointing at the one that Yuui had first pointed out to him.

"Sure thing, kid," the booth operator smiled at him as he got the toy down and handed it to Youou.

Youou didn't even mind being called a kid, just happy he got to give the other boy what he wanted. He petted the head of the toy to feel how soft it was before he held it out to the blond. "Yours."

Yuui's arms trembled a little as he moved his arms to hold the kitty toy, which was almost as big as he was, before wrapping his arms around it and holding it close, rubbing his face in the softness. Youou could see peeking from the toy the upturn of Yuui's smile, and that was enough for him.

"Thank you."

"Ah; it was no trouble at all," he said being modest, "hey; I just thought… where are your parents? Did you get separated from them?"

Yuui peeked out from beneath the white fur of the toy, and looked around, before making a small gasp. He was so caught up with the kitty toy, that he didn't realize he lost his family.

Youou looked around too, but didn't see any tall people that were blond around. So he reached out for the boy's hand, "Okay, let's go see mine. They'll know what to do." Because that's what parents were good at, at least in his mind.

Yuui looked a bit confused at that statement, and wondered if the boy wanted the kitty toy back, and he slightly held it out. Youou realized he probably only knew a few words in the native language. So he pointed at his hand. "my hand." he then pointed at Yuui's. "your hand" and then he awkwardly held his own hand "Hold hands." Yuui seemed to understand, and shuffled a bit before he held out his hand while the other arm clung to the kitty toy as hard as he could so he didn't drop it. Youou stepped closer and held the other boy's hand before leading him to where his parents were.

"Hey kid; did you make a new friend?" his father teased him light heartedly.

"He got lost from his family. He understands a little Japanese."

"Oh dear," his mother spoke softly, moving from her spot to approach the two boys.

Yuui blinked up as the woman kneeled near him. "Would you like something to eat?"

Yuui understood that he was being asked a question about food. So he made a tiny head nod. Leading the way, Youou walked over with Yuui to the man serving food and got in line to get a snack, his mother behind them.

While they waited, Tsubame asked Yuui, "What would you like to eat?"

"Choco creme?" Yuui spoke quietly muffled further by the stuffed toy.

"I think he wants a chocolate crepe," Youou said since he was closer to Yuui.

"And what would you like?"

"Some ume-ame please," Youou asked politely.

After a minute for the family in front of them to get their snacks, Tsubame ordered and paid for the treats. After a little bit, the sweet dessert and the sour treat were handed to her, and Tsubame carried the treats for the two until they got back to where Youou's father was still seated.

Youou let go of Yuui's hand so he could dust off the seat to make sure nothing sticky was there for the toy to get on its plush body, Yuui watching him from behind the Nekomi kitty toy.

Yuui got the idea and gently set the toy there before climbing up and sitting down beside it. Kurogane climbed up next to him and smiled at him, while his mother leaned in closer and handed Yuui the crepe. Yuui looked at it curiously before looking back at her, before speaking quietly "thank you."

Tsubame smiled softly at him before handing over Youou's treat, which received a more lively reception "Thanks Mother."

While his mother sat down near them, his father took a cue from his wife to go searching for the guardian of the blond boy while she stayed there with them. In the meantime, Yuui quietly and slowly nibbled on the treat given to him, and Youou placed most of his in his mouth sucking on the candied exterior to get to the sour fruit center.

Several minutes passed before Toriho came back over, and with him was a woman wearing a fuurisode and three other children, equally young and blond looking as the next, one having a striking resemblance to the boy quietly finishing off a chocolate crepe.

"Yuui-chan," she spoke getting the blond's attention.

"Cheetos," Yuui said in greeting.

Yuui clambered off the seat he was on, as he put the crepe wrapper in his tiny pocket that once held his pouch of money before grabbing his Nekomi kitty toy and Youou's hand, quietly urging him to come with him. Youou climbed off too and went with Yuui over to his guardian, holding what was left of his ume ame with his other hand

"I hope he wasn't too much trouble," Chitose said apologetically bowing to the couple.

"He was no trouble at all," Tsubame assured her with a soft smile. "Is he yours?"

"Oh no, … Yuui and Fai's parents are close friends of mine and we send our kids to the same preschool. I walk them home from school and watch over them until their parents get home. Today, they were going to be too busy with work to be able to take off the time so I volunteered to bring them here with my girls, Chiho and Chise."

While his parents talked with Yuui's guardian, and exchanged business cards, Youou stood with the blond children, exchanging youthful talk while still holding the one kid's hand. When the girls asked if they could go one of the rides, Yuui slowly relinquished hanging onto Youou's hand and went over and held his brother's instead, and peeked out from behind his plush to stare at Youou. Youou noticed and gave him a light hair ruffle, getting a squeak out of Yuui, before going back to his mother's side, and holding her hand as he began to suck on his treat some more.

"I think Yuui-chan might really like your son. He's usually quite reserved with other children."

"Well maybe we can set up playdates for another day," Tsubame offered, before looking down at Youou, "What do you think?"

Youou looked up at his mother, "Does playdates mean I get to play with him in the park?" Youou asked, because if so, he was all for these playdates idea. Because parks were fun places to play.


	2. Chapter 2

Youou gently tossed the ring amongst the ramune bottles, trying to get a ringer, but just about every shot, the rings landed between the lips and not around any of the bottles stuck in place, or bounced on them instead.

Fai came over and leaned on his shoulder, imitating his brother's voice and mannerisms. "Awh, looks like you're not really any good at this game," he commented with a laugh in his voice.

"You think you can do any better?" Youou huffed, shrugging Fai off because he was having enough trouble getting a ringer without someone hanging off of him at the same time.

"Ahahahhah…. maybe having four eyes will be better than two on this one," Fai jokingly said, even as he paid to play a game. "So have you got any ringers yet?"

"..."

"I'll take your silence as a not even one…" Fai said amused, " try aiming for the exact same spot where there's already a lot of ring buildup. You might just make one then."

Youou tried the advice but gave out a frustrated sigh as he had a few close calls but not even one ringer.

Since Fai was here with him and not with his brother, Youou asked, "You know where your brother is?"

"Mm… last time I saw him, he was terrorizing people with his skills at the duck shoot," Fai commented having gotten enough ringers to earn the large prize. He picked out the biggest dog plush toy they had, a Saint Bernard dog with a plush version of the wooden barrel attached in front.

"We oughtta go save them then," Youou remarked.

"And ruin brother's fun? Youou-puu how could you?" Fai said in mock horror, placing a hand against his cheek.

"Yeah yeah I'm real heartless aren't I?"

"I dunno. The Heartless are kinda cute~, yknow."

"How are they cute?" Youou asked with a perplexed expression.

Fai just gave him a pat on his shoulder as he had Youou hold his latest prize, "Youou-tan simply has no eye for these things."

Youou let out a light huff at that, "no you just have a weird idea of what 'cute' is. Cmon, let's go find a game we're all good at, and take em for some of their large prizes."

Fai laughed at that, as he walked beside Youou. "You just hate to lose. But Youou-chu never keeps any of his prizes, though."

"I've kept some," Youou said defensively, "Besides, What's wrong with giving most of the prizes away? Plenty of kids stuck at the hospital can't make it here and could use some cheering up."

"Youou-wan is really thoughtful and kind."

The teenager blushed at that, "Don't spout out such nonsense."

"Brother's birthday is coming up soon. I wonder if I should win him something here."

"Your birthday's coming up too then."

"Mm… yeah it is, isn't it?"

"You two were born on the same day, you dolt."

"Ahahaha… true but sometimes … it doesn't seem like it. I mean we look the same, but our personalities are really different."

"You don't look the same as him; you look similar, but you don't look the same," Youou corrected.

"Waah~ Youou-tan, do you mean that?" Fai asked as he clung onto his arm, staring up at him.

"I don't say something I don't mean," Youou answered, by now a bit used to Yuui, and sometimes Fai, clinging onto him at random. "Besides, I've always been able to tell you two apart."

"Really? Even when we match our voices and wear the same clothes and do the exact same things?"

"You two are great mimics of another, but there are all the small things… they give you two away," Youou said matter of factly, as he walked with Fai.

Fai was quiet for a bit, thinking about that, when Youou spoke up, "Your gait is different than his."

"Eh?"

"When you walk naturally, you take slightly longer strides than Yuui does. Your hair is slightly longer, and has a different weight than Yuui's. Your earlobe is shorter and your skin is a little whiter. Do I need continue?" Youou asked.

"Youou-kun is very observant, I told you he wouldn't fall for it," Yuui said, with a light laugh in his voice as he used his twin's name for Youou.

Youou focused on where a familiar voice came from, seeing Yuui smiling at them, as he held multiple plushes in his arms. Youou was briefly reminded of an earlier time, where most of Yuui was hidden by a plush won for him, but instead, these plush he won himself.

"Hey," Youou greeted him. "Heard you were terrorizing the locals..."

"Moi?" Yuui said feigning innocence and mock hurt.

"Yeah, you," Youou said flatly, before Yuui pushed most of his plush wins on him, "For that, you can carry these for me."

"You were going to have me carry them anyway, weren't you?"

"But of course, I just can't imagine have those pretty muscles of yours not being used," Yuui teased, and laughed merrily as Youou hid the fluster rising to his face with the multitude of plushes in his arms.

Yuui cooed at that as he poked him in the cheek, "awh how cute ~ even your ears are blushing."

"There's nothing cute about my ears," Youou loudly retorted, and if they weren't red before, they were now.

"I think you're just in denial~" Yuui said poking Youou's cheek some more, taking advantage of Youou's arms being too busy to swat that finger away.

"Poor Youou-kun, are you starving him, Yuui?"

"Huh?" Yuui asked looking at his twin brother.

"You just said he was in denial… and you're the D around here."

Youou and Yuui both wore a surprised and scandalized look but Youou had the fortune of hiding it behind a bunch of plush prizes.

"Fai B Fluorite, I can't believe you!" Yuui said before clinging to what he could of Youou's arm. "I'd never make sweet Youou-tan go hungry."

"What!?" Youou sputtered and thankful he hadn't been eating recently, otherwise it could have ended up on the prizes.

Fai smiled before turning his attention towards the games, "so Youou-kun was suggesting we find a game we're all good at…" he said changing the subject.

"Hyuu ~ What a splendid idea. Youou-tan has such good ideas," Yuui chirped excited before softly humming as he put a finger to his chin, "but which game would that be… we all have different aim games were good at…"

"We could do the duck racing game…"

"But Youou-tan, Fai-chan isn't as competitive…"

"He's got luck and aim on his side… how else does he win those ring tosses?" Youou rebuffed.

"If there's three of us, one of us is guaranteed to win a prize, so I'll play," Fai replied.

"But first, let's go hide some of these in the car, so it's not so obvious," Yuui suggested.

"Good idea.." Youou began.

"Then your arms will be all freed up to carry our newest wins," Yuui said cheerfully.

Youou rolled his eyes, having expected that. "As long as you save enough to ride the Dragon Roller Coaster here with me… cuz I wanna do that before we leave."

Fai patted the arm Yuui wasn't attached to, "of course. We'll treat you to it."


End file.
